U.S. Sen. Landrieu talks workforce development

Travis Lavigne, Chancellor of Fletcher Technical Community College, shows U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu a photo in his office Tuesday as he gives her a tour of the campus.

Chris Heller/Staff

Sydni DunnStaff Writer

Published: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 10:51 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 10:51 p.m.

Elected officials, school system administrators and local workforce leaders on Tuesday discussed the challenge of producing skilled workers to support the local growth industries.

The two-hour roundtable meeting, which attracted about 30 guests, was led by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and held at Fletcher Technical Community College.

“We've recently come out of a set of extremely bad circumstances,” Landrieu said, noting recent hurricanes and the 2010 BP oil spill. “While we were struggling, the country was going through tough recession. Now that the country has reshaped itself, reorganized itself and made itself more efficient ... it's now ready to really lift.”

Louisiana has a great opportunity to participate, she said, adding Louisiana Workforce Investment Council data shows specialty trade work will be in high demand in the short and long terms.

By 2014, the data states, nearly 15,000 specialty trade contractors will be needed. Heavy and civil engineering trails that field, with about 11,000.

It will take collaboration to develop a system that will provide workers to fill those spots, she said.

“Government can do part of this, but it can't do all of it,” she said. “It would be really great if we could be partners in preparing the workforce for the future so that we're putting down roots.”

It's important to not only train students to enter the workforce prepared, she said, it's vital to have those people stay in local industry and build families in these booming regions.

“Workforce development is about putting down roots — building, not extracting and adding, not subtracting,” she said. “If our playgrounds and ballparks aren't busier than our heliports and bus terminals, then we haven't done our job.”

Louisiana's industries should be filled with home-grown talent before any outside workers are recruited, Landrieu said.

“We have lots of hard-working families in our state and kids of all racial backgrounds that deserve a shot at a job that pays $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000 a year,” she said. “We cannot sustain a state on minimum wage.”

Landrieu invited those in attendance to comment on her vision and share ideas on how to achieve it.

In many ways, the region has made strides in improving workforce development, said Jane Arnette, executive director of the South Central Industrial Association. The new maritime management program at Nicholls State University is one example, she said.

The region has also focused efforts on showing junior high and high school students that pursuing a technical career over a college degree is OK, said Don Hingle, of Business First Bank.

There's a stigma attached to not going to a four-year college, said Fletcher Chancellor Travis Lavigne. He said he would like to see the label “vocational” swapped with “professional skill competencies.”

“It's critical people know that it's different than it used to be in the old days,” he said, noting whole new skill sets are needed in today's workplace.

The parish school systems are also making efforts to encourage students to explore jobs in local industry. Officials at the meeting reported groups of students touring facilities like BP, and others being paired with job coaches to help them choose a career path.

“I'm starting to see a change,” said Graham Douglas, of the Terrebonne Parish School System. “I'm hopeful.”

But it can be hard to focus on promoting technical training when the state is pushing schools to get students ready the ACT, the college entry exam, said Aubrey Orgeron, of the Lafourche Parish School System.

To remedy this, Eddie Filche Jr., of Sonoco, suggested schools shift more of the responsibility to business leaders.

“The schools need people like me to come in and talk to kids,” Filche said. “I can offer a different perspective than the teachers.”

Landrieu welcomed the feedback, thanking everyone for being a catalyst in the effort and encouraging them to continue. But, she reminded, this effort needs to move fast to produce results.

“My fear is that we're 10 years late,” she said. “It's here, and we've got to turn out students very quickly.”

<p>Elected officials, school system administrators and local workforce leaders on Tuesday discussed the challenge of producing skilled workers to support the local growth industries.</p><p>The two-hour roundtable meeting, which attracted about 30 guests, was led by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and held at Fletcher Technical Community College. </p><p>“We've recently come out of a set of extremely bad circumstances,” Landrieu said, noting recent hurricanes and the 2010 BP oil spill. “While we were struggling, the country was going through tough recession. Now that the country has reshaped itself, reorganized itself and made itself more efficient ... it's now ready to really lift.”</p><p>Louisiana has a great opportunity to participate, she said, adding Louisiana Workforce Investment Council data shows specialty trade work will be in high demand in the short and long terms.</p><p>By 2014, the data states, nearly 15,000 specialty trade contractors will be needed. Heavy and civil engineering trails that field, with about 11,000.</p><p>It will take collaboration to develop a system that will provide workers to fill those spots, she said. </p><p>“Government can do part of this, but it can't do all of it,” she said. “It would be really great if we could be partners in preparing the workforce for the future so that we're putting down roots.”</p><p>It's important to not only train students to enter the workforce prepared, she said, it's vital to have those people stay in local industry and build families in these booming regions.</p><p>“Workforce development is about putting down roots — building, not extracting and adding, not subtracting,” she said. “If our playgrounds and ballparks aren't busier than our heliports and bus terminals, then we haven't done our job.”</p><p>Louisiana's industries should be filled with home-grown talent before any outside workers are recruited, Landrieu said.</p><p>“We have lots of hard-working families in our state and kids of all racial backgrounds that deserve a shot at a job that pays $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000 a year,” she said. “We cannot sustain a state on minimum wage.”</p><p>Landrieu invited those in attendance to comment on her vision and share ideas on how to achieve it.</p><p>In many ways, the region has made strides in improving workforce development, said Jane Arnette, executive director of the South Central Industrial Association. The new maritime management program at Nicholls State University is one example, she said.</p><p>The region has also focused efforts on showing junior high and high school students that pursuing a technical career over a college degree is OK, said Don Hingle, of Business First Bank. </p><p>There's a stigma attached to not going to a four-year college, said Fletcher Chancellor Travis Lavigne. He said he would like to see the label “vocational” swapped with “professional skill competencies.” </p><p>“It's critical people know that it's different than it used to be in the old days,” he said, noting whole new skill sets are needed in today's workplace.</p><p>The parish school systems are also making efforts to encourage students to explore jobs in local industry. Officials at the meeting reported groups of students touring facilities like BP, and others being paired with job coaches to help them choose a career path.</p><p>“I'm starting to see a change,” said Graham Douglas, of the Terrebonne Parish School System. “I'm hopeful.”</p><p>But it can be hard to focus on promoting technical training when the state is pushing schools to get students ready the ACT, the college entry exam, said Aubrey Orgeron, of the Lafourche Parish School System.</p><p>To remedy this, Eddie Filche Jr., of Sonoco, suggested schools shift more of the responsibility to business leaders.</p><p>“The schools need people like me to come in and talk to kids,” Filche said. “I can offer a different perspective than the teachers.”</p><p>Landrieu welcomed the feedback, thanking everyone for being a catalyst in the effort and encouraging them to continue. But, she reminded, this effort needs to move fast to produce results.</p><p>“My fear is that we're 10 years late,” she said. “It's here, and we've got to turn out students very quickly.”</p>